|
DOES
THE QURAN ALLUDE TO SCIENTIFIC
DEVELOPMENTS?
Before
answering this question, we should point
out one important fact: Considering
science as opposed to religion and
scientific study as separate from and
independent of the Qur’an is just as
mistaken as trying to reduce the Qur’an
to a science textbook and showing that
every new scientific theory or fact is
to be found in it.
For
example, some have claimed, especially
in Turkey, that the dabbet al-ard
(little moving creature) mentioned in
Qur’an 27:82 is the virus that causes
AIDS. However, this is a hasty
conclusion for several reasons: the Qur’an
is silent about this dabbe’s
nature; if we accept this assertion, we
also must accept other venereal
disease-causing bacteria or viruses;
and, we cannot know whether new viral
diseases and more lethal than AIDS will
appear in the future. The context in
which dabbet al-ard appears
suggests that it will emerge toward the
end of this world, when almost no one
believes in God. So, we must not show
haste in trying to find some type of
correspondence between a Qur’anic
verse and every new development in
science and technology.
Scientific
theories are usually like clothes, for
both are discarded after a while. Trying
to show that every new scientific fact
or theory can be found in the Qur’an
displays the Muslim world’s
inferiority complex and makes science
more important than the Qur’an. Each
Qur’anic verse and expression has a
universal content. Therefore, any
time-specific interpretation can address
only one aspect of that universal
content.
Every
interpreter, scientist, and saint
prefers a particular aspect as a result
of his or her spiritual discovery or
intuition, personal evidence, or natural
disposition. Besides, we accept both
Newton’s physics and Einstein’s
physics as “science” and therefore
true. Although in absolute terms both
may be false, there certainly must be
some truth in both.
Causality
is a veil spread by God Almighty over
the rapid flux of existence so that we
can plan our lives to some degree. This
means that Newton’s physics and
Einstein’s physics are only relatively
true. In short, while pondering the Qur’anic
verses, we should consider the relative
truths found in existence and our lives,
which are much more numerous than the
unchanging absolute truths.
Qur’anic
expressions have multiple meanings.
Qur’anic
expressions have multiple meanings. For
example, consider the verses: He let
forth the two seas that meet together,
between them a barrier, they do not
overpass (55:19-20), which are
repeated daily by Muslim worshippers.
These verses indicate all the pairs of
“seas” or realms, spiritual and
material, figurative and actual, from
the realms of Lordship and servanthood
to the spheres of necessity and
contingency, from this world to the
Hereafter (including this visible,
corporeal world and all unseen worlds),
the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans, the
Mediterranean and Red Seas, salt water
and sweet water in the seas and
underground, and such large rivers as
the Euphrates and Tigris that carry
sweet water and salty seas to which they
flow. All of these, together with many
others I do not need to mention here,
are included in these verses, whether
literally or figuratively.
So
even if a Qur’anic verse or expression
appears to point exactly to an
established scientific fact, we should
not restrict its meaning to that fact;
rather, we should consider all other
possible meanings and interpretations as
well.
On
the other hand, sometimes the Qur’an
does point or allude to specific
scientific developments and facts. Being
the Divine Revelation that includes everything
of wet or dry (6:59), it cannot
exclude them. Indeed, it refers to them
directly or indirectly, but not in the
manner of science and materialistic or
naturalistic philosophy.
The
Qur’an is not a science textbook that
has to explain cosmological or
scientific matters at great length.
The
Qur’an is not a science textbook that
has to explain cosmological or
scientific matters at great length;
rather, it is the eternal interpretation
of the Book of the Universe and the
interpreter of all natural and other
sciences. It comments upon the visible
and invisible worlds, and discloses the
spiritual treasures of the Divine
Beautiful Names in the heavens and the
Earth. The Qur’an is the key leading
to an understanding of the hidden
realities behind the events taking place
in nature and human life, and is the
tongue of the hidden worlds in the
manifest world.
The
Qur’an is like the sun shining in the
spiritual and intellectual sky of Islam.
It is the sacred map of the next world;
the expounder of the Divine Attributes,
Names, and acts; and the educator of
humanity that guides us to truth and
virtue. It is a book of law and wisdom,
worship and prayer, Divine commands and
prohibitions. Fully satisfying our
spiritual and intellectual needs, it
leaves no theological, social, economic,
political, or even scientific issue
undiscussed, whether in brief or in
detail, directly or through allusion or
symbols.
The
Qur’an considers creation only for the
sake of knowing its Creator; science
considers creation only for its own
sake.
The
Qur’an considers creation only for the
sake of knowing its Creator; science
considers creation only for its own
sake. The Qur’an addresses humanity;
science addresses only those who
specialize in it. Since the Qur’an
uses creation as evidence and proof to
guide us, its evidence must be easily
understandable to all of us
non-specialists. Guidance requires that
relatively unimportant things should be
touched on briefly, while subtle points
should be discussed as completely as
possible through parables and
comparisons. So that people are not
confused, guidance should not change
that which is obvious. If it did, how
could we derive any benefit?
Essentially,
like everything else, science has its
source in one of God Almighty’s
Beautiful Names. The Name All-Healing
shines on medicine; geometry and
engineering depend on the Names
All-Just, All-Shaping, and
All-Harmonizing; and philosophy reflects
the Name All-Wise. As pointed out above,
the Creator refers in the Qur’an to
everything that He has allowed us to
learn and use for our material and
spiritual progress.
The
Qur’an’s primary aims are to make
God Almighty known, to open the way to
faith and worship, and to organize our
individual and social life so that we
may attain perfect happiness in both
worlds. To achieve this aim, it refers
to things and events, as well as
scientific facts, in proportion to their
importance. Thus the Qur’an provides
detailed explanations of the pillars of
faith, the fundamentals of religion, the
foundations of human life, and
essentials of worship, but only hints at
other relatively less significant
things. The meaning of a verse may be
compared to a rosebud: it is hidden by
successive layers of petals. A new
meaning is perceived as each petal
unfolds, and people discover one of
those meanings according to their
capacity and are satisfied with it.
Examples
of verses alluding to scientific
progress through
miracles of the Prophets
Traveling
by air
The verse,
And
to Solomon (We subjugated) the
wind: its morning stride was a
month’s journey and the
evening stride was a month’s
journey. (34:12)
which
expresses the subjugation of the wind
to Solomon as one of his miracles,
says: ‘The Prophet Solomon covered
the distance of two months walk in two
strides by flying through the air.’
By this it suggests that the road is
open for mankind to cover the same
distance in the air. ‘So, O mankind!
Since the road is open to you, attain
this level and do so!’
Almighty
God also means by this verse:
O
man! A servant of mine did not
obey his carnal desires, and I
mounted him on the air. If you
give up laziness and benefit
properly from certain of My laws
in nature, you too can mount it.
Inventing
a device to obtain water
The verse,
When
Moses asked for water for his
people, We said: ‘Strike the
rock with your staff.’ Then
gushed forth there from twelve
springs (so that) each tribe
knew their drinking place’,
(2:60)
indicates
that it is quite possible to benefit
with simple tools from the treasuries
of Mercy under the earth. In places
hard as rock even, the water for life
may be drawn with so simple a device
as a staff. Thus, through this
meaning, the verse says to man, ‘You
can find the finest blessing of Mercy,
the water for life, with a staff-like
device. Therefore, come on, work and
find it!’
Through
this verse, God Almighty suggests:
O
man! Since I gave to a servant of
Mine who relied on Me such a staff
that he draws with it the water
for life from wherever he wishes,
you too can obtain a device
resembling it provided you rely on
My laws of Mercy. So, come and do
so!
One
of the important results of the
scientific developments which mankind
have achieved is the invention of
devices with which water is caused to
well up from most of the places where
they are applied. The verse points to
further goals and limits beyond that,
just as the previous one specified
further attainments far ahead of today’s
planes.
The
farthest point in medical developments
The
verse,
I
heal him who was born blind, and
the leper, and I raise the dead
by God’s leave, (2:60)
concerning
a miracle of Jesus, upon him be peace,
alludes to and encourages the highest
level of healing with which the Lord
endowed him. It suggests:
It
is possible to find cures for even
the most chronic ailments.
Therefore, O man! O
calamity-stricken sons of Adam! Do
not despair! Whatever the ailment,
its cure is possible. Search for
it and you will find it. It is
even possible to give a temporary
tinge of life to death.
By
the verse God Almighty means:
O
man! To a servant of Mine who
renounced the world for My sake, I
gave two gifts, one the remedy for
spiritual ailments, the other the
cure for physical sicknesses. Dead
hearts were quickened through the
light of guidance, and ill people
who were as though dead found
health through his breath and
cure. You too may find the cure
for all illnesses in My ‘pharmacy’
in nature where I attached to each
thing many important purposes.
Work and find it! You will
certainly find if you seek it!
Thus,
this verse marks the final point of
medical developments, a point far
ahead of the present level, and urges
man towards it.
Using
iron and copper in industry and
extracting minerals
The verses,
We
made the iron supple for him.
(34:10), and, We gave him wisdom
and sound judgment in speech and
decision. (38:20)
which
are about David, upon him be peace,
and,
We
caused the fount of copper to gush
forth with him. (34:12)
which
is about Solomon, upon him be peace,
indicate that the softening of iron is
one of the greatest bounties of God,
through which He shows the virtue of a
great Prophet of His. Softening of
iron, that is, making it soft like
dough, and smelting copper, and
extracting minerals is the origin and
source, and basis of all material
industries. So, the verses state:
Softening
iron, making it like dough and
fine like a thread, and smelting
the copper are a great bounty
granted to two great Prophets who
ruled in a part of the world
according to God’s commandments,
and they are the means to most
general industries.’ Since God
endowed a Prophet who was both a
Messenger and a Caliph, that is,
one who was both a spiritual and
worldly leader, with wise speech
and craftsmanship and industry, He
urges people to speak wisely and
encourages them toward
craftsmanship and industry.
By
these verses, God Almighty also
suggests:
O
sons of Adam! I gave such wisdom
to the tongue and heart of one of
My servants who obeyed My
religious commandments that he
judged of and distinguished
between all things with perfect
clarity and discerned the truth.
Also, I endowed him with such
skill that he could cast iron into
whatever mould he wished, and make
use of it as an important source
of strength for his rule. Since
this is possible, and since iron
is of great significance for, and
you are in much need of it in,
your social life, that wisdom and
skill will be bestowed on you
provided you obey My commands of
creation, My laws of nature. In
the course of time you will attain
it!
By
softening iron and smelting copper,
man has achieved great progress in
industry, and great power in material
terms. These verses direct man’s
attention towards this truth, and just
as much as they warned the people of
former times who did not appreciate
how important it was, so too they warn
those lazy people of the present.
The
ultimate point in the transmission of
images and sounds
The verse,
One
with whom was knowledge of the
Book said: ‘I will bring it to
you before your gaze returns to
you (in the twinkling of an
eye).’ When Solomon saw it set
in his presence... (27:40)
describes
this wonderful event: In order to
procure the transport of the throne of
the Queen of Saba, one of Solomon’s
ministers who was well versed in the
transport of things said: ‘I’ll
have the throne here in your presence
in the twinkling of an eye.’ The
verse suggests that it is possible to
transport things over long distances,
either bodily or in their images. In
fact, God Almighty bestowed this on
Solomon, upon him be peace, who was
honored with kingship as well as
Divine Messengership, as a miracle so
that, in order to maintain his
infallibility and justice he might
personally be informed of all the
regions of his extensive realm and see
the conditions of his subjects and
hear of their troubles. That means, if
man relies on Almighty God, and
appeals to Him in the tongue of his
potentials as Solomon did in the
tongue of his infallibility, and if he
acts in conformity with His laws in
the universe and with what attracts
His favor, the world may become like a
town for him. While the throne of the
queen was in the Yemen, it was seen in
Damascus either bodily or in image.
For sure, the forms of the men around
the throne were also seen and their
voices heard. The verse points in a
splendid fashion to the transport of
forms and transmission of sounds over
long distances, and in effect says:
O
rulers! If you wish to realize
perfect justice, try to see and
know your realm in all its
details, as Solomon did. For, only
by rising to the level of being
informed whenever he wishes about
every part of his realm, may a
just ruler who cherishes his
subjects be saved from being held
accountable, and may realize
perfect justice.
God
Almighty means by this verse:
O
sons of Adam! I bestowed on a
servant of Mine a vast realm, and
in order that he might realize
perfect justice throughout it, I
allowed him to know personally of
its state and of everything that
was happening there. Since I have
created every individual with a
capacity to rule according to My
commands, I have also given him,
as a requirement of My Wisdom, the
potential to scan the face of the
whole earth and comprehend
whatever is in it. If every
individual does not succeed in
attaining to that point, as a
species mankind may realize it.
If, however, they do not achieve
it physically, they can do it,
like the saints, in spiritual
terms. Therefore, you may benefit
from this great blessing. Come on,
let Me see you do it! On condition
you do not neglect your duties of
worship, strive in such a way that
you may turn the face of the earth
into a garden every part of which
you may see, and the sounds from
every corner of which you may
hear!
Heed
the decree of the Most Merciful in the
verse,
He
it is Who has made the earth
subservient to you, so walk in
the paths thereof and eat of His
providence. Unto Him is the
resurrection (of the dead).
(67:15)
Thus,
the verse mentioned above about
Solomon marks the ultimate point in
the transmission of images and sounds,
which constitutes one of the latest
and most significant developments in
science and technology, and encourages
men towards that furthest point.
Employing jinn, devils and evil
spirits
The
verses,
Others
linked together in chains,
(38:38) and, Of the evil ones
were some who dived for him, and
did other work. (21:82)
which
state that Solomon, upon him be peace,
made the jinn, devils, and evil
spirits obedient to him, succeeding in
preventing their evil and employing
them in beneficial work, say:
The
jinn, who are conscious beings and
the most important inhabitants of
the earth next to men, may serve
man. Contact may be made with
them. Devils too may be made to
give up enmity and to serve
willingly or unwillingly. God
Almighty made them subservient to
a servant of His who was obedient
to His commands.
These
verses imply:
O
man! I made the jinn, and devils,
including their most evil ones,
obedient to a servant of Mine, who
obeyed Me. If you submit yourself
to My commands, most of the
creatures, including even jinn and
devils, may be subjugated to you.
Thus,
these verses mark the ultimate point
in occult or supernatural sciences
dealing with paranormal events like
spiritism, the attraction of spirits,
and communication with the jinn, which
have appeared as a blend of art and
science and out of the extraordinary
material and spiritual sensitivity of
man. These verses urge man not, as
happens nowadays, to be subjugated to
the jinn, devils, and evil spirits,
who sometimes call themselves the
spirits of the dead, and to become
their plaything, and a laughing-stock,
but to subjugate and employ them
through the Quran, and be saved
from their evil.
Attraction
of spirits or communication with the
spirits of the dead
These verses, as well as certain
others like
Then
We sent to her Our spirit and it
assumed for her the form of a
perfect man. (19:17)
point,
besides the attraction of spirits, to
the fact that spirit beings may assume
visible forms. However, what the Quran
alludes to here is not modern
necromancy, which some so-called ‘civilized’
people practice by communication by
magic with evil spirits who introduce
themselves as spirits of the dead.
Rather, it is as certain kinds of
saints (like Muhy al-Din ibn al-‘Arabi)
who, for a serious reason, communicate
with good spirits whenever they want,
make contact with them and form a
relation with them, and by going to
their abodes and to a degree drawing
near to their atmosphere, benefit from
their spirituality.
Invention
of cassette-recorders and players and
communication with animals
The
verses,
We
subdued the hills to hymn the
praises (of their Lord) with him
at nightfall and after sunrise.
(38:18); and, O you mountains!
Echo His psalms of praise! and
you birds! And We made the iron
supple for him. (34:10); and, We
have been taught the language of
birds. (27:16)
which
are about David’s miracles, point
out that Almighty God gave to the
glorifications of David, upon him be
peace, such a strength and a tone so
resonant and pleasing that they
brought the mountains to ecstasy,
which, each like a huge gramophone or
a man, formed a circle against the
horizon around the chief reciter-David-and
repeated the glorifications. Is this
possible and a reality?
Yes,
it is reality. Every mountain with
caves can speak to man in human
language like a parrot. For if you
declare before a mountain, ‘All
praise be to God,’ the mountain will
echo it back. Since God Almighty has
granted this ability to mountains, for
sure it can be developed.
Since
God endowed the Prophet David, upon
him be peace, with both Messengership
and Caliphate on the earth in
exceptional form, He made this seed of
ability flourish as a miracle in due
measure with that comprehensive
Messengership and magnificent
sovereignty such that great mountains
followed him, in the manner of
soldiers, or students, or disciples,
and under his direction and in his
tongue, they declared the
glorifications of the All-Majestic
Creator. Whatever David, upon him be
peace, uttered, they repeated. At
present, due to the means of
communication being multiplied and
developed, a great commander can get a
large army dispersed through the
mountains to repeat his declaration of
‘God is the greatest!’ all
together at the same time, and make
the mountains speak and ring with the
words. Now if an ordinary commander
can make the mountains ring with the
words of those present in them, for
sure, a magnificent commander of
Almighty God can get them actually to
utter and recite God’s
glorifications. Besides this, as I
explained earlier in this book, each
mountain has a collective personality
and corporate identity, and offers
glorifications and worship particular
to itself. This means that just as
every mountain recites glorifications
in the tongue of men by way of
echoing, so too it glorifies the
All-Majestic Creator in its own
particular tongue.
The
sentences,
We
have been taught the tongues of
birds, (27:16) and, The birds
assembled, (38:19)
point
out that Almighty God bestowed on
David and Solomon, upon them be peace,
knowledge of the languages of the bird
species, and of the tongues of their
abilities, that is, of what they would
be useful for. Since this is a
reality, since the face of the earth
is a laden table of the Most Merciful
One, which He has set up in honor of
man, most of the other animals and
birds, which benefit from that table,
may have been subjugated to man to
serve him. God has put to work some of
the smallest animals like the honeybee
and silkworm, and employs them through
the guidance of His special
inspiration in a way that greatly
benefits man. Also, by enabling man to
use pigeons in various tasks and make
certain birds like parrots speak, He
has added to the beauties of human
civilization. Similarly, if the ways
of making use of other birds and
animals are discovered, among them are
many species which may be employed for
important tasks just as domestic
animals are employed.
For
example, if the languages of starlings
are known, which destroy locusts
without eating them, and their
movements can be arranged and
regulated, they can be employed
against plagues of locusts; what a
valuable service they would render
free of charge! Thus, the verses
mentioned show the ultimate point in
subjugating birds and benefiting from
them, and in making lifeless beings
speak like a telephone or a
gramophone, and, by specifying the
farthest aim in this field, the verses
urge man toward it.
By
the same verses, God Almighty
indicates:
O
men! In order that his
infallibility as a Prophet and his
justice as a sovereign might not
be damaged even to the slightest
degree, I subjugated to one of
your fellow men, who was totally
submitted to Me, the huge
creatures in My Kingdom and made
them speak, and I put most of My
troops and animals in his service.
Likewise, since I have entrusted
to each of you the Supreme Trust2
from the bearing of which the
heavens, earth, and mountains held
back, and endowed you with the
potential to become My
vicegerent-one who will rule on
the earth according to My
commands-you should yield to the
One in Whose hand are the reins of
all creatures, so that the
creatures in His Kingdom may yield
also to you, and you may use them
in the Name of the One Who holds
their reins, and rise to a
position worthy of your potential.
Since
this is the reality, then rather than
playing on the gramophone or
record-players and other musical
apparatus, harmful and obscene pieces,
playing with pigeons, and being
occupied with useless things like
wasting time in making parrots speak,
try for a most agreeable, elevated and
sacred sort of amusement, that the
mountains may function as huge
gramophones for you as for David, and
at the touching of the breeze the
tunes of Divine praises and
glorifications may reach your ears
from the trees and plants, and the
mountains may manifest themselves as
wonderful creatures that recite Divine
glorifications in thousands of
tongues, and most birds may turn to be
each an intimate friend or an obedient
servant, like Solomon’s hoopoe. They
may both entertain you and drive you
with zeal towards the perfections and
attainments of which you are capable,
and not cause you to fall from the
position required by your humanity, as
vain amusements do.
Invention
of fridges
In the verse,
We
said: ‘O fire! Be coolness and
peace for Abraham.’ (21:69)
which
is about one of Abraham’s miracles,
there are three subtle indications:
Like every element in nature,
fire does not act on its own and
blindly, rather it performs a
duty under a command. It did not
burn the Prophet Abraham, upon
him be peace, for God commanded
it not to burn him.
There is a degree of heat which
burns through coldness. That is,
it has an effect like burning.
Through the word ‘Be peace!’,3
God Almighty commanded the cold:
‘Like heat, do not burn him
either!’ That is, through its
coldness, fire at that degree
produces an effect like burning.
It is both fire, and, at the
same time, cold. As science
accepts it, there is a degree of
fire called ‘white heat’,
which does not radiate its heat
to its surroundings; instead,
attracting the heat around it to
itself, it causes the
surrounding area to become cold
enough to freeze liquids like
water, and in effect burns them
through its cold. (It may be
noted here, incidentally, that
there must surely be in Hell,
which contains all the degrees
and sorts of fire, this intense
cold.)
Just as there is an immaterial
substance like belief, and an
armor like Islam, which will
remove the effects of Hellfire
and protect against it, so too
there must be a physical
substance which will protect
against it, which will prevent
the effects of worldly fire.
For, as is required by His Name,
the All-Wise, and since this
world is the abode of wisdom,
[the abode where everything
takes place for a definite
purpose and usually according to
cause and effect] God Almighty
acts behind the veil of cause
and effect. Therefore, the fire
did not burn Abraham’s body,
nor did it burn his garments, He
gave them a state which resisted
fire. Thus, the verse suggests:
O
nation of Abraham! Be like
Abraham, so that your garments
may be your guard against the
fire, your greatest enemy,
both here and there, the other
world. Coat your spirit with
belief, and it will be your
armor against Hellfire.
Likewise, there are certain
substances which Almighty God
has treasured in the earth for
you. They will protect you
from the evil of fire. Search
for them, extract them, and
coat yourselves with them!
As
an important step in his progress,
mankind has discovered a substance,
out of which he has made a coat which
fire does not burn. However, see how
elevated, fine, and beautiful a
garment this verse points to, which
will be woven on the loom of hanifan
Musliman (purity of belief in and
submission to God), and which will not
be rent for all eternity.
Teaching
Adam the Names implies the
ultimate points and final goals of
human attainment and progress
Also, the verse,
He
taught Adam the names, all of
them. (2:31)
states
that, as his greatest miracle in the
cause of supreme vicegerency, Adam,
upon him be peace, was taught the
names. While the miracles of other
Prophets each point to a certain
particular wonder in the course of
scientific and technological progress,
the miracle of Adam, upon him be
peace, who was the father of all the
Prophets and the Opening of the Office
of Prophethood, alludes almost
explicitly to the ultimate points and
final goals of all human attainment
and progress.
By
this verse, God Almighty suggests:
O
sons of Adam! By way of proof of
his superiority over the angels in
the issue of vicegerencey, I
taught your father all the Names.4
Being his sons and the inheritors
of his abilities, you should learn
all the Names and show your
worthiness of that superiority
before all other creatures in the
universe, such that vast creatures
like the earth are made obedient
to you. Come on, step forward,
hold on to one of My Names and
rise! Nevertheless, your father
was deceived by Satan once and for
all, and temporarily fell to the
earth from an abode like the
Garden. Beware! do not follow
Satan in your progress and make it
the means of falling from the
heavens of Divine Wisdom into the
misguidance of attributing
creativity to nature or real
effect to cause and effect in the
creation and operation of nature.
Raise your head and, studying My
Beautiful Names, make the sciences
and your progress steps by which
to ascend to those heavens. Then
you may rise to My Names of
Lordship, which are the essences
and sources of your sciences and
attainments, and through the
telescope of those Names, you may
look to your Lord with your
hearts.
1.
The sentence, whose oil would
almost glow forth (of itself)
though no fire touched it: Light
upon light, makes the allusion
clearer.
2.
The Supreme Trust is man’s ego
or human identity formed of, or
endowed and distinguished with,
free will, knowledge, intellect
and speech.
3.
An interpreter of the Quran
remarks: ‘If He had not said,
“Be peace!”, it would have
burnt him with its coldness.’
4.
The Names taught to Adam, upon him
be peace, are the names of things
or the keys to all human knowledge
or the Divine Names, in the
manifestation of each of which a
branch of science originates. For
example, medicine has its source
in the Name, the All-Healing,
engineering in the Names, the
All-Determiner and the Giver of
Certain Measure.
|
|
